Review: Private Practice

For those of you who can't get enough of Grey's Anatomy here's the spin off...

The Plot: After discovering that she is infertile; being rejected by men left right and center; and failing to get promoted (tough year), Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) leaves Seattle Grace, in this Grey’s Anatomy spin off, for sunny California. She begins working at a private practice, which is filled with TV regulars such as Taye Diggs (Day Break, Kevin Hill, Ally McBeal), Tim Daly(Wings), Amy Brenneman (Judging Amy) and Paul Adelstein (Prison Break).

The Good: Generally an enjoyable show and will definitely please a large portion of Grey’s fans. It’s also good to see Daily and Diggs on shows that will actually stick around. Plus Adelstein just continues to impress me (did any one catch him on Scrubs – hilarious).

The Bad: One of the things that makes Grey’s work so well is that it is in Seattle and filmed with a greyish or dull tint, which is contrasted by cheesy character moments. The cheesy moment seem less cheesy in the bleak setting of the show. Practice on the other hand plays it’s equally cheesy (or possibly more so) elements against a very bright and cheerful atmosphere, making it kind of vomit inducing at times.

The Ugly: I’ve seen two episodes so far and none of the medical cases have been particularly interesting. Which is strange because the Grey’s formula is: Find an unusual medical case - Apply it to the character on an emotional level - then further allow it to be a point of reflection for one of the main characters. Also there's an unattractive receptionist/surfer with no acting ability and flabby man boobs who continues to walk around shirtless. Disturbing.  

The Verdict: This show was the top debut of the season for awhile until fellow ABC freshman show, Samantha Who?, knocked it off that pedestal. Plus the ratings have been continuously high and it has already been picked up for a full season. This one is bound to be a success and with time the writers and actors will be able to better define the characters and their situations.